Media Advisory: Coast Guard Cutter Spar to host event in Portland, Maine, during transit from Alaska to Great Lakes

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 1st District Northeast Contact: 1st District Public Affairs D1PublicAffairs@uscg.mil 1st District online newsroom

Media Advisory: Coast Guard Cutter Spar to host event in Portland, Maine, during transit from Alaska to Great Lakes

Editors' Note: Media interested in attending are requested to RSVP at 857-268-0369 by 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, and should arrive no later than 11:45 a.m., Wednesday. 

BOSTON —The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a media event for the Coast Guard Cutter Spar (WLB 206) during a port call en route to its new homeport in Duluth, Minnesota from Kodiak, Alaska.

WHO: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spar crew, including the commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Joel Wright, will be available.

WHAT: The Spar's crew will be giving tours and interviews to media outlets regarding the significant history of the Coast Guard Cutter Spar namesake, the Spar program, and information on the extensive transit to its new home port in Duluth, Minnesota. The ship will not be open for public tours.

WHEN: Wednesday, Mar. 16, 2022, at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Maine State Pier, Portland ME, 04101

Upon arriving in Duluth, The Coast Guard Cutter Spar crew will assume the roles and responsibilities from the Coast Guard Cutter Alder’s (WLB 216) crew.

The Spar crew will continue the missions of maintaining aids to navigation, domestic icebreaking, search and rescue, and law enforcement.

The Coast Guard Cutter Spar is named after the Coast Guard Women’s SPAR Reserve program. SPAR meaning, Semper Paratus Always Ready. The program established the acceptance of women into the reserves as commissioned officers and at the enlisted level for the duration of World War II. Six months after the war, it was authorized by the United States congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on November 23, 1942.

-USCG-